Leviticus 19:23-33

23 "When you come into the land and plant any kind of tree for food, then you shall regard its fruit as forbidden.[a] Three years it shall be forbidden to you; it must not be eaten.
24 And in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD.
25 But in the fifth year you may eat of its fruit, to increase its yield for you: I am the LORD your God.
26 1"You shall not eat any flesh with the blood in it. 2You shall not interpret omens or 3tell fortunes.
27 4You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard.
28 You shall not make any 5cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the LORD.
29 6"Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, lest the land fall into prostitution and the land become full of depravity.
30 7You shall keep my Sabbaths and 8reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.
31 9"Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the LORD your God.
32 10"You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall 11fear your God: I am the LORD.
33 12"When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.

Leviticus 19:23-33 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 19

This chapter contains various laws, ceremonial and moral, tending to the sanctification of men, in imitation of the holy God, Le 19:1,2; as concerning the reverence of parents, and observing the sabbaths, Le 19:3; against idolatry, Le 19:4; about offering and eating of peace offerings, Le 19:5-8; concerning harvest and gleaning of fields and vineyards, Le 19:9,10; respecting the breach of several of the commandments of the law, as the eighth, ninth, and third, particularly, Le 19:11-13; and others relating to the ill usage of the deaf and blind, and having respect to persons rich or poor in judgment, and acting the part of a tale bearer among people, Le 19:14-16; and bearing hatred and ill will to any of their neighbours, Le 19:17,18; and others forbidding mixtures in the generation of cattle, sowing fields, and wearing apparel, Le 19:19; and concerning the punishment of a man that lay with a bondmaid, and the offering he should bring for his atonement, Le 19:20-22; then follow certain laws concerning fruit trees, when the fruit of them should be eaten, Le 19:23-25; and concerning eating with blood, using enchantments, and observing times, and managing the hair of the head and beard, and avoiding to make any marks, prints, and cuttings in the flesh for the dead, Le 19:26-28; a caution not to prostitute a daughter to whoredom, and to observe the sabbath, and reverence the sanctuary of God, and pay no regard to wizards and familiar spirits, Le 19:29-31; to show reverence to ancient persons, and not to vex and distress strangers, Le 19:32-34; and to do no injustice in weight and measure, Le 19:35,36; all which instructions are to be carefully observed, and put in execution, Le 19:37.

Cross References 12

  • 1. See Leviticus 3:17
  • 2. Deuteronomy 18:10; 2 Kings 17:17
  • 3. 2 Kings 21:6; 2 Chronicles 33:6
  • 4. Leviticus 21:5; [Isaiah 15:2; Jeremiah 9:26; Jeremiah 48:37]
  • 5. Leviticus 21:1, 4, 5; Deuteronomy 14:1; 1 Kings 18:28; Jeremiah 16:6; Jeremiah 41:5; Jeremiah 47:5; Jeremiah 48:37
  • 6. [Deuteronomy 23:17]
  • 7. ver. 3; Leviticus 26:2; See Exodus 20:8
  • 8. Ecclesiastes 5:1; [Matthew 21:12, 13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45, 46; John 2:14-16]
  • 9. Leviticus 20:6, 27; Deuteronomy 18:11; Isaiah 8:19; [Exodus 22:18; 1 Sam. 28:3, 7, 9; 1 Chronicles 10:13; Acts 16:16]
  • 10. Proverbs 20:29; [Lamentations 5:12]
  • 11. See ver. 14
  • 12. Exodus 22:21; Exodus 23:9; Malachi 3:5

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Hebrew as its uncircumcision
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.